Wire-pointing mechanism



May 27,1952 T. E. BASTIAN ET AL WIRE-POINTING MECHANISM 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed April 1, 1950 INVENTOYRS ThZHLZ YE BASTIAN' ATTORNEY y 1952 T. E. BASTIAN ET AL 2,598,656

WIRE-POINTING MECHANISM Filed April l, 1350 2 SHEETS-ShEET 2 ATTORNEY Patented May 27, 1952 WIRE-POINTING MECHANISM Theron E. Bastian, Irondequoit, and Edward A. Strollis, Rochester, N. Y., assignors to Bastian Bros. 00., Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 1, 1950, Serial No. 153,448

8 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a wire-pointing mechanism, and has for its purpose to afford a practical and eflicient mechanism that will automatically point or sharpen the end of a piece of brass or other wire such as employed in the manufacture of pin-attached buttons, badges, and the like.

More particularly the invention has for its object to provide a machine that employes oppositely arranged cutters with cutting edges that converge to a point, which are rotated and advanced in relation to the wire to be pointed while maintaining the end of the wire in fixed position with reference to the cutters.

An additional purpose of the invention is to afford a construction in which cutters are carried by jaws movably mounted on a rotating and endwise movable tool-head, and adapted to be moved toward each other and into cutting engagement with a piece of wire and automatically withdrawn therefrom.

The invention has for a particular object to afford a structure of this general character in which each jaw is provided with a removable positioning. plate that includes a surface which serves as a stop for and determines the location of the cutter when it is inserted into the jaw and a wire-positioning surface that maintains the wire in proper position while being operated on by the cutters, thus making it possible to grind the stop and positioning surfaces on the positioning plate accurately to the proper angles.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts that will appear clearly from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, the novel features being pointed out in the claims following the specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a pointing mechanism constructed according to one embodiment of the invention, showing the cutters in the position which they occupy when pointing the wire;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of a pin that was initially pointed on the mechanism shown in Fig. 1 and adapted to be applied to a lapel button;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken centrally of the pointing mechanism and showing the cutters in open position;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 4 partially broken away and showing the cutters in cutting position;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the parts illustrated in Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a transverse sectional view on line 1-1 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a view in end elevation of the jaws and cutters in cutting position;

Fig. 9 is a view in side elevation of the outer ends of the jaws, and the cutters, when in cutting position, approximately four times actual size;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged plan view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a sectional view on line IIII of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is an end elevation of the structure illustrated in Fig. 9 showing the jaws and cutters in cutting position;

Fig. 13 is an enlarged detail perspective view of one of the cutter-positioning plates, with a cutter appearing in dotted lines in the position it occupies in relation to the positioning plate, and

Fig. 14 is an enlarged detail perspective view of one of the jaws, partially broken away, with the cutter and positioning plate removed.

Referring more particularly to the drawings in which like reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the several views,I designates a continuously rotating shaft on which the cutter mechanism is mounted, as will be described more fully hereinafter, the shaft I being movable endwise within a sleeve 2 keyed to the shaft I, the sleeve 2 being held against endwise movement and having a cam surface 3. The sleeve 2 is mounted and rotatable with the shaft I in a suitable fixed bearing 4. The shaft I has fixed thereon a pinion 5 that is driven by a gear 6 on a motor shaft I operated by the electric motor 8 which furnishes the power for continuous rotation of shaft I, the necessary endwise movement of the latter for effecting operation of the cutting mechanism being accomplished in the following manner.

The shaft I has fixed thereon a collar 9 that is interlockingly engaged with a collar I0 fixedly connected to sleeve 2, the interlocking relationship being established by the arms II carried by the collar 9 and engaging slots I2 in the collar I0, while I3 is a spring surrounding the shaft I between the collars 9 and I0 and operating to move the shaft I normally to the inoperative position illustrated in Fig. 4. Movement of the shaft I to cutting position is effected by an actuating lever I4 pivoted at I5 and provided at one end with an anti-friction roller I6 engaging the adjacent surface of collar 9 while the other end f movement of the shaft l,

tion illustrated of the lever 14 has an anti-friction roller en- 1 gaged by a cam I! mounted on the arbor I8 which i is mounted in suitable bearings and arranged to 1 be rotated by a hand wheel IS. The arbor I8 1 may be turned by hand as shown, or, may be opand at each 'completerotation of the arbor l8.

the lever is oscillatedto effect endwise mover ment of the shaft I to cutting position and perjmit its return to inoperative position and thus During ;-such endwise i he cam surface 3 effects complete a cutting cycle.

, movement of the cutters into ctitting relationsliip Y erated by anysuitable motor or power source,

4 which is attached to the cutter-supporting end of the jaw by a set screw 45 that extends through an opening 46 in the' plate 44 and engages a threaded opening in the side of the jaw, the V latter being preferably slotted or cut away as at 48 to receive the attaching portion 44 of the posi- .tioning ;'plate..

: 1 1 with the wire after which"they;are returned to 1 initial position upon return of the shaft I, as will 3 now be described in more detail.

The wire to be pointed is indicated :at #:ik-S

Fig. 2, and is arranged to be positioned on a table or-support 22 in a suitable-recess 23, the wire 1 7 1 beingstationarily held'infplace during the point- 5 1 ingoperation by '"a clamp ona post 25;and. adapted to be rotated over the v :24 pivotally mounted I recess 23 when -thewire -'i's positioned'therein, it 1 i 1 beingunderstood that the end of the aw'ire' to-be 3 pointed-projects beyond the support 2-2 into a recess or cutaway portion 26 Where -it is engaged I by the pointing mechanism.

Suchpoint d'wire epiece's "re -used for shaping l before being shaped and-secured to the button,

wire fromrwhi'ch the-pin portion is cut alfter the v pbinting Q em m;

he cutting mechanism includes in general a tool head or cutter-head in the form or -a .cylindr'ical block 21 that ispermanently attached to the end of the fshaft 4 see fig. h-and the cutterhead 2] haspivoted'thereontwo jaws, each-comprising a body portionfl pivoted at 29 in slots formed in the tool-ihead '21 while at the rear end th a1 a springs 32. '83 j designate anti friction rollers mounted in thetail pieces 31 and engaging the sothatasthe 'Reiferringlto Figs. 9to '14., each .;iaw includes at l 'itsfforward-end a cutter-supporting portiondesigna'ted generally at '34, see'jFig.f'1 i, and including i a slot 35 that receives thejcutter '36; The bottom;

s include tail-pieces 31 connected by into button-pins such-as illustrated in Fig; 3, v which may include circular portions that engage 5;;

r the attaching flange of lapel'andradvertising but- 1 tons,,badges, and the like, the pin bein'g pointed although the structure herein disclosed may be I used'forpointingwireor metallic pins for other purposes; either where the wire element is in a" pre-cut length or part'of a continuous coil 'of 1 The positioning plate preferably attached to the jaw on the same side of the longitudinal axis of the cutter-head as the cutter and at its lower end is provided with a forwardly extending'portion 49 that is cut away to provide an inclined surface 51 which isground accurately to the same angle-as the adja'cent end surface of the cutter. When the cutter has been properly ground and positioned in the slot 35 of the jaw, it is moved endwise untiliitshforward surface engages and butts against the surface 5| of the positioning plate which serves as a stop for the cutter and insures its proper positioning in the jaw. V

Theportion 139 of the'positioning plate is also provided with a positioning isurface 52 which is preferably inclined and extends away from-the end -'of the cutter, acting .as' a positioning means for the wire as the jaws and :cutters come into operative or cutting :relationztherewit-h, 1 see Fig. '9, and by having the positioning plate removable from the 'jaw, it is .possible toigrind the inclined surfaces :51 :and .52 accurately to an exact degree and' thus determine to :a :nic'ety the angle :of the point formed :onth'e wire and also to retain the wi-iezin .proper .relation to the cutting tools.

When the jaws are moved inwardly to engage 7 the wire, the cutting edges-4:2 of the two cutting tools are disposed :oppositely as illustrated in.

Y such rotation the wire is "held-against la'teral surface 'ofthe cutter engages the base 3] of the l tfi andi don ei wiby1 su al l' ie te ingfscrew that engages a threadedopeningfill in r the catter-supporting portion 1314 "of the jaw and 319:v that overlies and engages; the

4 I of the cutter to clamp the latter 7 "ha a re d ismjf fi securely "in position.

The operative or cutting edge of the'cutter is indicated at 142, the adjacent endfsui'face 43 'of r the cutter being groundto asuitableangle which I V e ermin l h n le t m t e e d'the;

angle 'of the pin f or'med icnithe V i en sifiqn h u t rec um elr mfiawri e e v is is wire, and in order,

provided a positioning plate M, seefFig. i8;

movement transversely with respect to the cut- .ting'sedges by means of "the oppositely disposed inclined surfaces '52 on the positioning plates. In this manner, the wire can be effectively and accurately pointed by :a few rotations of the cutter-head, during the period when the tail pieces 3| of the jawsare moved outwardly by th'e cam 3 to the position shown in-Fig. 5, a nd upon return movement of' the '=le'ver *M to its initial.

position, the-shaft l is released and-returned to the Fig. 4 gpos'itionfby the spring 1-3 whereupon the j aws and the cutting tools are moved by springs '32 to :t-he position shown in {Fig. 4 to 7 from the' ma-cliine.

release the wire, which 7 can then "be removed While the finvention has"beenjdescribed with 1 reference to the structure herein shown, it is not confined to thegpar'ti'cular details illustrated, and

this 'applicaftionjis lin'tended'to cover such modifications'departures or other adaptationsfas may come within the purposes, of. .the improvements and the scope of the following. claims.

and held against longitudinal movement, said awsjhaving tail pieces engaging and controlled by s i ca eeve. utters secured .tdsaidjaws having cutting edges 'wh'ieh intersect in .converging relationship jwhen in cutting positionv there byferming apo'in't on aw'ire, and wire-position:- ing surfaces on the [jaws located between said cutters adjacent to said cutting edges in ormverging relationship and on opposite sides of the cutters and wire when the cutters are in cutting position.

2. Wire-pointing mechanism comprising a fixed bearing, a rotatable shaft movable endwise in said bearing and a tool-head mounted at one end of said shaft, oppositely arranged jaws pivotally mounted and movable transversely on said tool-head, a cam sleeve surrounding said shaft and held against longitudinal movement, said jaws having tail pieces engaging and controlled by said cam sleeve, each of said jaws having a cutter-receiving slot therein inclined to the longitudinal axis of the tool-head, a cutter fastened in said slot having a cutting edge arranged at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the tool-head, and a stop surface on each jaw engaging the forward end surface of and determining the position of the cutter on the jaw.

3. Wire-pointing mechanism comprising a fixed bearing, a rotatable shaft movable endwise in said bearing and a tool-head mounted at one end of said shaft oppositely arranged jaws pivotally mounted and movable transversely on said tool-head, a cam sleeve surrounding said shaft and held against longitudinal movement, said jaws having tail pieces engaging and controlled by said cam sleeve, each of said jaws having a cutter-receiving slot therein inclined to the longitudinal axis of the tool head, a cutter fastened in said slot having a cutting edge arranged at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the tool-head, a stop surface on each jaw engaging the forward end surface of and determining the position of the cutter on the jaw, and a wire-positioning surface disposed angularly to said stop surface to one side of the longitudinal axis of the cutterhead, said positioning surfaces on the jaws engaging the wire on opposite sides of and between said cutting edges and acting to maintain the wire in correct cutting relation to the tools.

4. Wire-pointing mechanism comprising a fixed bearing, a rotatable shaft movable endwise in said bearing and a tool-head mounted at one end of said shaft, oppositely arranged jaws pivotally mounted and movable transversely on said tool-head, a cam sleeve surrounding said shaft and held against longitudinal movement, said jaws having tail pieces engaging and controlled by said cam sleeve, each of said jaws having a cutter-receiving slot therein inclined to the longitudinal axis of the tool-head, a cutter fastened in said slot, a positioning plate removably secured to one side of each jaw, said positioning plate having a forwardly projecting portion provided with a stop surface which engages and determines the position of the forward end of the cutter, and a wire-positioning surface disposed angularly to said stop surface to one side of the longitudinal axis of the cutterhead, said positioning surfaces on the jaws engaging the wire on opposite sides of and between said cutting edges and acting to maintain the wire in correct cutting relation to the tools.

5. Wire-pointing mechanism comprising a fixed bearing, a rotatable shaft movable endwise in said bearing and a tool-head mounted at one end of said shaft, oppositely arranged jaws pivotally mounted and movable transversely on said tool-head, a cam sleeve surrounding said shaft and held against longitudinal movement, said jaws having tail pieces engaging and controlled by said cam sleeve, each of said jaws having a cutter-receiving slot therein disposed angularly to the longitudinal axis of the tool-head,

a cutter fastened in said slot having .a cutting edge that is angularly disposed to the longitudinal axis of the cutter-head when in cutting position, and a positioning plate removably attached to the jaw and having a stop surface parallel to and in contact with the forward "end of the cutter, said stop surface being disposed at the same angle to the longitudinal axis of the cutter-head as said cutting edge and acting as a positioning stop for the forward end of the cutter.

6. Wire-pointing mechanism, comprising a fixed bearing, a rotatable shaft movable endwise in said bearing and a tool-head mounted at one end of said shaft, oppositely arranged jaws pivotally mounted and movable transversely on said tool-head,- a cam sleeve surrounding said shaft and held against longitudinal movement, said jaws having tail pieces engaging and controlled by said cam sleeve, each of said jaws having a cutter-receiving slot therein disposed angularly to the longitudinal axis of the cutter head, a cutter secured in said slot and having a cutting edge disposed angularly to the longitudinal axis of the cutter-head when in cutting position, a positioning plate removably attached to the outer surface of the jaw on the same side of the longitudinal axis of the cutter-head as said cutter, said positioning plate having a stop surface against which the forward end of the cutter abuts and arranged at the same angle as said cutting edge and a wire-positioning surface extending away from said cutting edge adjacent to one side of the wire, the wire-positioning surfaces acting to locate the wire in proper relationship to the cutting edges when the latter are in cutting position.

7. Wire-pointing mechanism comprising a fixed bearing, a rotatable shaft movable endwise in said bearing and a tool-head mounted at one end of said shaft, oppositely arranged jaws pivotally mounted on said tool-head, a cam sleeve surrounding said shaft and held against longitudinal movement, said jaws having tail pieces engaging and controlled by said cam sleeve, a cutter secured to each jaw, means for moving said shaft endwise comprising an oscillatory lever, a collar fixed on said shaft and engaged by said lever, a second collar keyed to said shaft and held against endwise movement, a spring between said collars, actuating means cooperating with said jaws and acting to move the jaws andcutters to cutting position when the shaft moves in one direction, and spring means acting to restore the jaws to initial position.

8. Wire-pointing mechanism comprising a fixed bearing, a rotatable shaft movable endwise in said bearing and a tool-head mounted at one end of said shaft, oppositely arranged jaws pivotally mounted on said tool-head, a cam sleeve surrounding said shaft and held against longitudinal movement, said jaws having tail pieces engaging and controlled by said cam sleeve, said jaws having cutters secured thereto with cutting edges which when in cutting position are in converging relationship, means for moving said shaft endwise comprising an oscillatory lever, a, collar fixed on said shaft and engaged by said lever, a second collar keyed to said shaft interlocked with said first mentioned collar and held against endwise movement with the shaft, a spring between said collars acting to return the shaft to initial position, actuating portions carried by said jaws, a cam sleeve surrounding 

